The Gulls! Alas!
by Rochwen
Summary: And then I stood still, forgetting war in Middle-Earth; for their wailing voices spoke to me of the sea. The sea! Alas! -- ROTK, Leggy reflections -- Re-Post, R&R!


I stood as still as stone - as straight as the arrows in my quiver - on the white, sandy shore. The only thing that moved was my Elven cloak. Its colours were green, grey, and blue - the colours of the Sindar. Also, I realized, of the sea. It pulled and tugged behind and around me, persistently, adamantly - it wanted to break free of the elegant beech-leaf brooch and fly away, or it wanted me to come with it. Also my hair, pale gold in the failing light, blew about me, obviously feeling the same calling. The sounds of my companions came dimly to my ears. They hollered, called, and yelled to each other. They were making camp on the sandy beach after a long day of traveling. They disturbed the beautiful solitude of the place, yet I heeded them little or not at all. For, I heard the cry of the gulls.  
  
The gulls! Alas!  
  
I let my eyes gaze slowly over the rolling waves - crashing with a noise like thunder upon the damp sand, carrying shells, seaweed and twisted pieces of driftwood to the land. I saw the gulls... white birds wheeling and calling in the sky. Alas for the gulls, for the spoke to me of the sea.  
  
They spoke to me of the long, gray, green, and blue plains of endless water - of the fish and animals that dwelt there and played in the salty spray of the waves - of the wind that gently blew over the rippling water - of the ships that could glide gracefully over the ocean, to shores far, far away... to lands where music never dies. Where light reigns strong over darkness. Where there is no death, and flowers never wilt. The trees would grow and grow until they could grow no more, and they would never fall - it is a place where pearls are littered over the white shores, and diamonds dust the roads and the flowers are as beautiful as jewels scattered upon the grass. There, there is no such thing as sadness...  
  
The gulls, the gulls, alas! They spoke to me of the sea.  
  
I could barely imagine such a place, for as long as I have lived in Middle- Earth I have been surrounded by sadness. My people lived in both bittersweet happiness and melancholy sorrow, all their lives. We watched the world that we loved and fought for being doused steadily by darkness, and we watched as war tore apart our kindred and prejudices wracked our relationships. A losing battle we have been fighting for so long - and would it be so easily ended by the simple, forlorn cry of a gull upon the shore?  
  
I watched breathlessly as the sun began to sink down to the waiting ocean. In a brilliant show of red, yellow and orange it dipped into the smooth water. When it had set, that was when I let the tears fall. One by one they rolled down my cheeks, but I made no sound to disturb the beauty of the ocean.  
  
It was over. My joy in Middle Earth was over. Now whenever I would close my eyes, I would see the sea, the waves, the gulls, the brilliant sunset. I would ever hear the waves and wind in my dreams. I would hear the wind in the trees, I would think of the wind creating the waves. the waves that curled onto the shore in a burst of white diamonds of foam. I would no longer be happy with the forests and growing things. I would no longer be content with watching the animals play in the trees. I would no longer feel at rest away from the wild waves.  
  
The gulls! Alas.  
  
They spoke of the music of Ulmo. It was the most beautiful sound I ever heard. It tugged at my soul, bidding me to go... and never return. I knew that many elves of my kindred had been called by that same sound, and had departed for the Gray Havens to sail to Valinor. I remembered how we used to think of such things as tragedies and with sadness. Sometimes even bitterness, for we thought that they had given up the fight, and betrayed their people. But now I thought differently. It was a tragedy for the people to not hear the beautiful music. They would have to deal with the loss of loved ones, and not be able to see them again until they too felt the call of the sea. And I simply no longer knew what it was I was fighting for all this time.  
  
Of course I could not leave the world in such a bitter peril of darkness - Helm's Deep, the Paths of the Dead and the stern resolution on my friends' faces reminded me how much these people needed my help. If Sauron was overthrown - if I could see Aragorn upon the throne of Gondor, and the people safe once more...  
  
I sighed softly. I would have to leave a lot of friends when I too leave. Yet it would only be one parting - one difficult parting, and then for the rest of my life I would only be faced with meetings. Yet that was later, a decision for a latter part in my life. For the present I just sat and admired the beauty of the sea and the sky and the stars, and did not let any more thoughts bother me for a long time.  
  
A/N: Thank you for the lovely reviews. ^^ Yes, this is Legolas, at some point in Return of the King - I believe it is right after the Paths of the Dead. *rifles through book* Yes! It is! And yes, I forgot a disclaimer. I don't own Leggy. ::sniff:: Or any of the works by the great and wonderful and worthy-to-be-worshiped JRR Tolkien - even the stuff published by Chris. ~^ 


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